Towards a Europeanization of football? Historical phases in the evolution of the UEFA European Football Championship

In the last three decades, the importance of European football has grown considerably, both for national teams and for clubs. Today, European Championships and team competitions such as the UEFA Champions League attract nearly as much attention as the World Cup – even beyond the European continent. This historical overview shows the divergent and heavily disputed origins of Europe‐wide national football competitions and traces the phases of the European tournaments. Particular attention is given to the driving forces and ideas that have influenced this trend. As a key issue, this overview explores how far this trend has led to the ‘Europeanization’ of football.